By now, the research roundly backs it up — if you think you're weird when it comes to sex, you're almost definitely wrong. Kinks like voyeurism and masochism are much more common than most assume, while the only truly rare types of sexual behavior are the ones that are actually deviant (read: pedophilia). The latest item we can safely add to the list of "normal" sexual inclinations? The sex-at-the-gym fantasy.
Sex expert Alyssa Dweck, MS, MD, tells Shape that there's something forbidden about sex at the gym, and that's what makes it fun to think about: "Fantasizing is the perfect way to explore taboos — like having sex in a public place — without having to deal with the consequences of really doing it." But more than other public places, the gym can set a particularly tantalizing mood for some.
Dr. Dweck explains that the endorphins that come with physical activity don't just improve your mood — their release can make you feel aroused, too. Other feel-good brain chemicals, like dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin, get a boost when you work out, which could only make your mind wander more. On a slightly less scientific note, Dr. Dweck adds that, "Thanks to typical workout attire, it's easier at the gym to imagine people without their clothes, doing sexy things, than it is, say, at the bank." Not to say that your local tellers aren't hot as hell.
Shape reports that, in an informal poll, nearly every woman admitted to having this fantasy, but none owned up to acting on it. Of course, public sex isn't exactly legal — and we happen to know quite a few people who'd prefer to keep it a secret. At this point, we'd like to remind our readers that our comments section lets you post anonymously, so go ahead and share your steamy locker room stories.
Click through to Shape for more on the science of sex. (Shape)
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